


Transformers: Rise Up!

by Take_it_to_the_Max



Category: Transformers Generation One, Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Shattered Glass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:21:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27568210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_it_to_the_Max/pseuds/Take_it_to_the_Max
Summary: After a devastating crash, a team of Decepticons and Autobots are stuck on Earth. Both sides fight for the planet, with different end goals in mind.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 14





	1. Prologue

The Nemesis cruised at a steady pace through the starscapes. A proud battleship, designed to hold a crew of two hundred and fifty, equipped with powerful blasters, meant to take down enemy ships. A single Cybertronian stood at the front of the ship, looking through the windows at the stars, dim, cold and still. A red and white seeker entered the control room. "Megatron, we've left our star charts."  
"I'm aware, Starscream." he answered in a measured tone. Megatron was a tall, bulky flight frame, dark gray and white, wings folded against his back, a powerful cannon on his right arm.  
"This doesn't concern you?" the seeker continued, slightly anxious. "We've been chasing the Autobots for four years, and we haven't engaged with them for months! Do you know what the crew is saying?! They're suggesting that you're fleeing!"  
"I'm waiting for the right time to strike." Megatron clarified. "And I can understand the crew's unease. I suppose we're all suffering from a degree of space madness."  
"You're right." Starscream nodded, thinking to himself. "I'm sorry, what I said was inappropriate."  
"Nothing to forgive." Megatron turned back to the window.

As the conversation ended, the ship was suddenly struck. Megatron and Starscream stumbled, trying to keep their balance. An alarm began to blare as the ship was repeatedly pummeled.  
"Foreign objects striking ship. Foreign objects striking ship." the ship's computer, Concordia, said repeatedly over the alarm. Another Decepticon ran into the control room. He was tall and spindly, red and black, with only one blue optic for a face, horns on his head raised in alarm.  
"Shockwave, report!" Megatron ordered.  
"We've hit an asteroid belt!"  
"I'll make an announcement." Starscream offered. Megatron nodded. Starscream approached an intercom system. "This is Starscream, Decepticon Second in Command. We have been caught in an asteroid belt, there is no need for alarm. Repeat: there is no need for alarm."  
"The ship can't withstand this for long." Shockwave was looking at monitors of the ship's status. "Concordia, what are our options?"  
"Pulling back and finding alternate route. But risk is losing Ark. Pulling ahead would eliminate problem. But risk of being seen by Autobots."  
"Pull ahead." Megatron decided quickly. Shockwave throttled the ship, sending them out of the asteroid belt. The enemy ship, known as the Ark, could be seen clearly. As suddenly as the ship was seen, it began firing. Multiple blasts rocked the Nemesis. The alarm that had briefly ceased began to blare yet again. Megatron sighed, gravely making an announcement. "This is Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons. We are under fire, all Decepticons to battle stations. Repeat: all Decepticons to battle stations."

As the Nemesis began to fire upon the Ark, the Autobots began their evasive maneuvers, flying off at high speed. The Nemesis followed, firing a barrage of lasers. High above an unknown planet, the two ships fought, with laser fire and missiles, weaving and dodging. Finally, the Ark went black as it lost all power, and caught in the planet's gravity, began to plummet, surrounded by fire. Throughout the Nemesis, cheering could be heard. Suddenly, there was an explosion that shook the ship harder than any previous impact. "We've lost an engine!" Starscream shrieked. Without hesitation, he and Shockwave began running to the engine room, to assess the damage. Megatron began to make a final announcement as they too began to be pulled by the planet's gravity.  
"This is Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons. The ship is heavily damaged, all Decepticons are ordered to make their way to escape pods. All Decepticons are ordered to make their way to escape pods." The panic was immediate. Decepticons began scrambling to the pods, desperate to escape. As Megatron grasped the control panel, he watched in horror as the deployed pods were unable to withstand the atmosphere. He made one final call, to the Leader of the Decepticon Justice Division, a trusted officer of his. "Tarn, the Nemesis is lost. I leave you in charge of the Decepticons!" he ordered urgently. There was no response from Tarn, as the ship crashed into the planet's surface.


	2. Strangers in a Strange World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Decepticons find themselves on a strange new world, and wonder about the state of their enemies.

Knockout felt a throbbing pain in his head. Despite severe pain and exhaustion, he turned his optics back on. He had been thrown against a wall. Looking around, he realized that he was lying on the floor, and so was everything and everyone else. The medbay was in complete disarray. He registered with a start that everyone else was gray, their sparks extinguished. _"The crash."_ he remembered. He hadn't made it to the escape pods, and neither had his conjunx. He looked around, and saw his conjunx's body sprawled on the ground, his usually orange armor faded to gray. He knelt beside him. "Breakdown." he whispered, his optics sparked with sadness. He grasped Breakdown's wrist, and was surprised to feel a faint, slow pulse. Quickly, he sifted through the scattered medical supplies, finding two cables to give Breakdown's spark a 'jump-start'. Breakdown's optics flickered. He struggled to rise, and with Knockout's help, he managed to sit up.  
"Knockout? We survived?" he asked weakly.  
"Yes."  
"Did anyone else?"  
"I don't know yet. We need to start checking, fast."

Unfortunately, everyone else in the medbay was dead. Knockout and Breakdown searched all of the ship. On the main bridge, they were relieved to find Soundwave, and his minicons had survived. In one of the hallways they were able to revive two seekers, known as Skywarp and Thundercracker. Strangely enough, they found a female soldier, Thunderblast, in her habsuite. In the destroyed engine room, Starscream and Shockwave had clearly tried to fix the damaged engine, though they were unsuccessful. "Knockout!" Breakdown ran into the engine rooms as Shockwave and Starscream were waking up. "I found Megatron at the command center. He's still got a pulse. I tried jump-starting him, but he won't wake up."  
"I'm on it. Keep an optic on these two for a moment." Knockout instructed, going to check on their leader.

Megatron awoke to a painful pounding in his head. Despite his attempts to go down with the ship, he had survived. His optics were off, but he could sense someone beside him. It was a medic, he realized, examining him. His optics powered on, slowly, unfocused. He could somewhat make out the aquamarine figure next to him, then realizing it was Knockout, his Chief Medical Officer. As his vision cleared, he sat up, feeling the stiffness in his joints. "How long has it been?" he asked immediately.  
"We don't know. Our first priority was to resuscitate everyone who had survived. My guess is that it's been a while, but I realize that's not very specific." Knockout answered, scanning the Decepticon leader for injury. "You're fine, somehow. Just a few minor injuries." Megatron stood up slowly.  
"How many are left?" There was a pause.  
"Thirteen, including you." Knockout reported gravely, leading him to the main bridge. Besides Megatron himself, there was his second in command and his trinemates, Soundwave and his minicons, Knockout and his conjunx Breakdown, Shockwave, and the lesser known soldier, Thunderblast.  
 _"Most of my soldiers are dead. I should not have insisted on pursuing the Ark."_ Megatron thought to himself. "Are you certain there are no other survivors?"  
"We checked everyone for any signs of life." Starscream shook his head sadly.  
"But something doesn't seem right. How did any of us survive?" Thunderblast asked. "With that devastating of a crash, we should all have gone gray, but aside from minor injuries, all of us are fine."  
"Why question it, we're alive. Isn't that better than being dead?" Soundwave pointed out. Thunderblast rolled her optics, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"The voyage was damned from the start."

"That's enough." Megatron said, raising his voice. "We need to determine our next course of action."  
"We have to repair Concordia. It is our source of information." Shockwave spoke up.  
"I will join you." volunteered Starscream.  
"Soundwave, I want you to aid me in contacting Kaon." Megatron ordered.  
"Yes, Megatron."  
"As much as I hate to say this," Knockout sighed heavily. "we need to utilize whatever parts we can salvage from…the casualties. For repairs. I'll need Breakdown's help with that."  
"And what about me?" Thunderblast asked.  
"I want you to check the status of the lower part of the ship. Bring Skywarp and Thundercracker with you." Megatron ordered.

Megatron was working with Soundwave in the communications room, trying to contact Kaon, their home base on Cybertron. Soundwave and his minicons were struggling to repair the communication channels. "Fraggit." Soundwave said eventually.  
"Fraggit." the flight frame minicon, Laserbeak, played back.  
"What is it?" Megatron asked.  
"The damage is irreversible." Soundwave explained. "I can get our comlinks working, but long distance communication isn't possible."  
"So we have no hope of communicating with Cybertron?"  
"I didn't say that. We could tap into this planet's communications."  
"This planet has complex communication networks?"  
"Yeah. I'm picking up on hundreds…thousands of them." Soundwave tapped the side of his head. "They're in so many different languages, with so many different topics, it's a little overwhelming."  
"I need you to focus. Contacting Kaon is of the utmost importance." Megatron reminded him.  
"Right."

In the lower level of the Nemesis, Thunderblast and the two seekers were examining the vaults. "Vault Three is intact. Some of the supplies are damaged, but for the most part it's fine." Thunderblast reported.  
"Vault Two won't open." Thundercracker said.  
"Are you sure you're putting the code in correctly?" Thunderblast sighed.  
"It's the exact code Megatron gave me."  
"Let me see." Thunderblast stepped forward, putting in the code. There was a pleasant chime, indicating that the code was correct, but the doors didn't open.  
"What did I just tell you? Won't open." Thundercracker shrugged.  
"Hold on, one moment." Skywarp spoke up. In a flash of purple light, the seeker disappeared. A few seconds later, he reappeared. "The vault is almost entirely covered in rock."  
"What? How is that possible?" Thunderblast asked. Skywarp shrugged. "Seeing as we can't access that vault, let's move on." Thunderblast walked to Vault One, where energon was stored. Thunderblast entered the code for the energon store room, the seekers following as the door slid open. "Right, when we started this journey, we had enough stored energon to last a crew of two hundred and fifty for ten years." Thunderblast began calculating. "Our voyage before the crash took four years. Which means we had about six years left. Thanks to the protective measures, we lost only…" she trailed off as she realized she was stepping in glowing blue liquid. She looked at the destroyed remains of energon cubes. Some of the spilled energon had crystallized.  
"A lot." Skywarp winced. Thunderblast ignored him, calculating in her head.  
"We lost ninety five percent of our remaining energon." she said sadly. "Granted, it still should last us awhile, but for all we know, we're just prolonging the inevitable."  
"Well, aren't you positive?" Thundercracker asked sarcastically.  
"Why should I be positive? What is there to be positive about?!" Thunderblast snapped. "And don't give me that scrap about 'being alive'."  
"We have some energon left after the crash." Skywarp suggested. "That's good. It's not a lot, but it's enough to last us awhile."

In the database of the ship's computer, Starscream and Shockwave were working diligently on getting Concordia back online. "Alright, try it now." Shockwave instructed Starscream, finishing the final repairs.  
"Concordia, activate." The computer reacted to his voice, slowly rebooting itself.  
"Hello, Shockwave. Hello, Starscream." it said finally.  
"Does its voice sound different to you?" Starscream inquired.  
"The only thing I am concerned about is that it's functional." Shockwave admitted, looking over its status.  
"What do you require?" the computer asked.  
"Information about this planet." Starscream commanded.  
"The planet is known as 'Earth' by the native creatures. It is seventy-one percent water, and twenty-nine percent land. It is divided into seven continents. The continent the ship crashed on is known as 'North America'. The planet is home to millions of living organisms, the dominant species is known as 'humans'. Humans are bipedal, diurnal, mammalian creatures. As organics, they have a basic four stage life cycle. They have created a complex civilization, including infrastructure, religion, science, and have advanced to limited space travel capability."  
"Fascinating." Shockwave mused, looking at the visuals provided.  
"How long have we been on Earth?" Starscream asked.  
"Four million years." There was a stunned silence in response to this answer. Starscream paused, optics wide, servos clutching his head as he suddenly let out an anguished scream.

Megatron heard the scream of his Second in Command, running into the room. Starscream was visibly trembling, as he turned to face Megatron. "We've been on Earth for four million years." he said softly. "It's been four million years, since the crash. Who knows what state Cybertron is in? Who knows how the Decepticons are faring, or if they even still remain?!"  
"Even if that is the case, there's nothing we can do about it." Megatron sighed. "Currently, we must explore the planet we are on."  
"The planet is safe for Cybertronians." Concordia shared unprompted.  
"The planet is inhabited. We may want to keep a low profile, at least for the time being." Shockwave suggested. "Concordia can find appropriate alt modes for us."

Megatron immediately called everyone to the lower level of the ship, to receive their new alt modes. The Decepticon leader went first, selecting a bulky fighter plane known as an 'A-10 Thunderbolt ll'. His frame altered itself to match the Earth vehicle. "Not as efficient as my previous alt mode, but it's serviceable for the time being." he stepped back. Starscream and his trine went next, selecting the 'F-15', for its speed and maneuverability. Knockout chose next, selecting an automobile the native creatures called an 'Aston Martin', Breakdown selecting an armored truck.  
"Honestly, it's a little flashy for my tastes, but it'll definitely do in terms of stats." Knockout admitted. Thunderblast's choice was a motorcycle.  
"Shouldn't you have chosen something more protected?" Breakdown asked.  
"This planet has a limited array of two wheeled vehicles to choose from. Besides, I'd rather have agility than your bulk." Thunderblast spat. Soundwave selected a similar two wheeled vehicle.  
"Exactly." he agreed. "I think it's time we explored the planet."

Nervously, everyone approached the ship's main door, Megatron opening it. The door started to slide open, emitting a terrible grinding noise. When it fully opened, there was nothing but a wall of solid rock. "We'll have to excavate." Megatron ordered.  
"Rumble, Frenzy, help out, would you?" Soundwave asked.  
"Sure thing." Frenzy nodded. Rumble reluctantly agreed. The other crew members went to find more equipment, as Rumble and Frenzy began pounding and drilling at the rock. After a few hours of digging a tunnel, they finally managed to reach the surface. There was a blinding white light. "You gotta see this!" Frenzy shouted. After further excavation, everyone stepped out into the light. What greeted them as their optics adjusted was stunningly beautiful. The sky was a deep blue, a bright sun shone high. They stood on a tall, smooth cliff. Below was a seemingly endless blue and green ocean, and a sandy shore. Directly behind them was a forest full of vibrant greenery, unlike any they'd ever seen.  
"The Autobots couldn't have taken over this planet. All of this would have been destroyed." Shockwave broke the silence. Megatron nodded.  
"And yet, we can't let our guard down. The Autobots could have survived as we did."  
"The chances of us surviving were astronomically low, let alone the Autobots." Thunderblast pointed out. "They were shot down, both engines exploding, if I remember correctly."  
"I will not let my guard down, until the Autobots stop fighting, or my spark is extinguished." Megatron narrowed his optics.  
"You've left one important question unanswered." Soundwave spoke up. Megatron turned to face him. "Are we going to make contact with the natives?"  
"Currently, no. We will remain hidden, until we know more about the planet we're on."

As well as attempting to call Cybertron, Soundwave was searching for Autobot energy signatures, or the Ark, but found nothing. He was reporting to Megatron about recent discoveries. "So far, we haven't found anything yet. No sign of energy signatures, from the Autobots or the Ark. Which brings me to two conclusions. They're either dead, though that wouldn't explain the ship disappearing, or their cloaking technology still works."  
"While ours does not." Megatron said. "This is concerning. The possibility that they survived while we can't find them is dangerous. We will search this planet until we find them, dead or alive."


	3. The Hunt For Red Optics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you get the reference in the chapter's title, you have my respect.

"This is a big planet, where would we even start?" Soundwave pondered. "The Autobots could be anywhere."

"This continent. And we can rule out any densely populated areas." Megatron said. "I want every available mech on at least one mission, with a few to stay behind to guard the ship."

A meeting was called in the conference room, where a holographic map showed the continent of North America. “Currently, we do not know the location of the _Ark_ , nor the status of its crew. It is highly important that we locate the Autobots.” Megatron began. “Soundwave has brought to my attention that their cloaking technology may still be functional. Which is why I want to send out three teams to search the continent. The first team will include myself, Starscream, Skywarp. We will be searching this large mountain range, known as the ‘Rocky Mountains’. The second team will consist of Soundwave and Thunderblast, who will survey the area surrounding the 'Great Lakes'.”

“I would rather survey alone.” Thunderblast interrupted.

“It’s not optional.” Megatron said. "The final team will be Knockout and Breakdown, who will survey the East Coast. Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, Laserbeak, and Shockwave will stay behind to guard the ship."

With that, the three teams were sent out. Megatron and the seekers flew above the 'Rocky Mountains', surveying for Autobot activity. The air was freezing. Despite not being organics, they could feel the air's chill. The white and gray of the mountaintops contrasted with the bright blue of the sky. The four of them spread out briefly, before regrouping. "No sign of Autobots." Thundercracker reported over the comlinks. "I gotta say, these alt modes are pretty good. Not too much of a downgrade from seeker jets." he began flying higher, maneuvering in very agile ways around the jutting peaks. His trinemates attempted to match his speed. Megatron was being left far behind.

"Would the three of you mind slowing down?" he asked. "This alt mode was not made for speed."

"Maybe you should've chosen something better." Skywarp suggested.

"Skywarp!" Starscream snapped, already slowing to match his leader's speed.

"Sorry Megatron, I didn't mean it like that, it just slipped out." the seeker stammered. Megatron disregarded the statement as they continued their search.

Thunderblast and Soundwave surveyed near a vast lake. The gale force winds threw water against the cliffs, as torrential rain pelted the ground. They had found no sign of the _Ark_ , or the Autobots. "Don't you think Megatron is being paranoid about the Autobots being alive?" Thunderblast called over the storm.

"How?" Soundwave asked.

"With how devastating the crash was, it was unlikely any of us would survive. And prior to the crash the _Ark_ sustained more damage than the _Nemesis_. It's even more unlikely that any Autobots are alive, and if so, they're probably too weak or too few to be a threat." Thunderblast explained.

"I get why he's being cautious." Soundwave said. "He doesn't have much room to make mistakes or fail. Because if he does, mechs die. He's under a lot of pressure to win this war. I think we all know what will happen if we lose."

"You all act like Megatron is so perfect." Thunderblast scoffed. "It seems like I'm the only one who recognizes him for what he is. I've seen him fail as a leader before." Soundwave said nothing to this, just continuing their search.

Knockout and Breakdown had been driving along the East Coast for roughly a day, in search of any possible sign of the Autobots. The night was cold and dark, with thick clouds looming overhead. They drove across long winding roads in the never-ending flat farmland. Aside from the occasional farmhouse, the rural landscape was devoid of human homes. Strange precipitation began to fall from the sky, thick and white. It blanketed the ground as it piled up quickly. Breakdown realized that his partner had been rather quiet. "Hey, Knockout, you doing okay?" he asked over their comlinks.

"Hm?" Knockout said, distracted.

"Are you doing okay?" Breakdown repeated.

"I guess. Tired. Cold." replied Knockout. Breakdown realized his altmode was more durable than his partner's.

"We can stop for a bit, if you want."

"That'd be nice." Knockout answered after a moment of hesitation. Breakdown veered off the road, heading for a human building. "Breakdown, we can't just rest in a human building."

"It's not a home. Besides, it looks abandoned." Breakdown reassured him. Knockout realized that he was right. The building seemed to be falling apart, with holes in its roof and sides. It also appeared big enough for both of them to stay in. Breakdown transformed to robot mode, pulling the massive door open. Knockout transformed as well, stepping inside.

"It's not much, but it'll give us shelter for a few hours." Breakdown shrugged.

"It's fine." The two of them sat down. "It's serene here. Especially with the…what do humans call this white rain?" Knockout asked.

"Snow, I think."

"I like it." Knockout murmured. "Would you mind if I rested my optics for a bit?"

"Go ahead." Before Breakdown had even finished speaking, Knockout was already nestling against him. Breakdown smiled, wrapping his arms around his conjunx. He leaned back, allowing Knockout to rest his head against his chest.

Although their missions yielded no sign of the Autobots, in just one month, the Decepticons had learned much about this planet, Earth, as well as its inhabitants, humans. The thirteen of them would regularly gather on the main bridge of the ship to discuss their findings. "Unfortunately, the _Nemesis_ will never fly again." Shockwave sighed. "The power core is still functional, but the engines cannot be repaired. And digging it out of the rock would prove difficult. Concordia will require some repairs, some of its functions are inaccessible."

"It's unfortunate." Megatron nodded.

"'Unfortunate'?!" Thunderblast shouted. "We're stranded on an organic mud ball, it's more than 'unfortunate'!" Megatron disregarded the statement.

"Starscream, have you anything to report?"

"No."

"Understood. Soundwave, have you heard anything from Cybertron?" Megatron asked.

"Nothing. In the meantime, I've been searching through human broadcasts. I've found a lot of good music, some good information. This planet is complex."

"For the time being, we will continue to focus our efforts on contacting Cybertron and finding the _Ark_." Megatron decided.

"Megatron, it's been a month, and the Autobots haven't shown themselves at all." Thundercracker pointed out. "I'm pretty sure they died."

"Until we know for certain, I will not stop searching for them." Megatron insisted.

Many miles away, on the Ark, the Autobot Second in Command, Rodimus, awoke slowly. He looked over his black and blue frame, realizing he was intact. "Fraggin' 'Cons." he swore. He vividly remembered the crash, and Optimus Prime being thrown across the ship. _"Maybe he went gray on impact."_ he thought to himself. As he was pondering the possibility of claiming leadership, he realized he was not alone. Several other Autobots were stirring. Among them was the small scout Bumblebee, and the assassin Arcee. "Where are we?" Rodimus asked.

"Some worthless organic rock." Arcee said flatly. "We're trying to determine who's dead, Ratchet's reviving the survivors. We haven't located Prime yet." Rodimus didn't respond, swiftly making his way to the ship's control room. He remembered Prime running to the front of the ship, in a desperate attempt to save the Ark. Rodimus entered the darkened room cautiously. Thrown against a wall, was the limp body of the Autobot leader, gray. _"He looks dead. But I should check anyway. Just in case."_ Rodimus kicked at his face, connecting hard with his chin, but there was no reaction. He stood waiting tensley, expecting the Autobot Leader's ruthless optics to flare to life. After a minute, with no reaction, Rodimus smirked, and began returning to the main bridge. Arcee was looking at information on the ship's computer, Teletraan I. Ratchet had succeeded in reviving a few more Autobots. There were a few short of twenty left, from what Rodimus could see. "Autobots, I found the body of Optimus Prime. After checking thoroughly, I have determined that Prime is dead. Which means that from now on, I lead the Autobots."

"Liar." Bumblebee spoke from behind him. "You didn't even check for a pulse. Prime is alive." Rodimus narrowed his optics, but tried to push down his frustration. _"I should've known that sycophant would follow me!"_

"I'll repair him immediately." Ratchet looked excited. Bumblebee led Ratchet to the room where Prime lay.

"Slag!" Rodimus cursed. "I thought I'd finally have my chance to lead around here. If I were in charge, Megatron would already be dead. I would rule the universe! One day, I'll lead around here, and Bumblebee will be dead. I could be superior to Optimus, he's been in charge for too long." he rambled.

"I could care less." Arcee admitted, not looking up from the computer. The sound of pedesteps began approaching them, Rodimus was instantly quiet. Optimus Prime entered the main bridge.

"Rodimus." he said icily. The Second in Command flinched. "Bumblebee has informed me that you intended to usurp me."

"I-I truly thought you had died. I'm certain Bumblebee was exaggerating, Optimus."

"Optimus PRIME!" the Autobot leader struck his Second in Command, sending him reeling.

"Teletraan I has detected Decepticon energy signatures." Arcee interrupted. Optimus Prime turned his attention to her, and the computer, displaying the energy readings.

"Autobots, prepare to roll out."

Starscream stood before what remained of the _Nemesis_ ' Crew on the ship's main bridge, a cup of high grade energon in one servo. "Despite the catastrophic events that brought us to this planet, we remain. It may be difficult to adjust. We may find ourselves dwelling on the past, or what we may have lost in our absence from our home. Regardless of what may come, may we drink to be better days." he raised his cup.

"To better days!" Everyone echoed, raising their own cups. As they began to drink, Megatron entered the main bridge, leaving his solitude.

"Megatron, I apologize, we should have asked your permission, I'm aware that high grade is in short supply." Starscream began quickly. Megatron, surprisingly enough, gave one of his rare smiles.

"To better days."


	4. More Than Meets the Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Decepticons accidentally end up with a new ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long on this one, between my mental and physical health, this took awhile to complete.

Soundwave and Megatron were intensely reviewing a computer screen on the Nemesis. In the middle of a densely populated city, there was a dot, indicating an energy signature. "So we know at least one Autobot has survived. Pretty bold to be in a human city. My guess is they’re a scout, looking for the Nemesis." Soundwave theorized.  
"Where is Thunderblast?” Megatron asked.  
“Searching for the Ark, halfway around the world.”  
“Then we’ll have to send Knockout and Breakdown.”  
"I'll contact them now. I could go too." Soundwave offered.  
"You’re communications, I want you here for the time being."

In the city of Seattle, it was a late autumnal evening. The daylight was fading, swiftly being replaced by a darkening blue, as overly bright street lights flickered to life. A young woman stepped out of a coffee shop in the downtown area, ending her shift. She shivered as a strong gust of wind from the Puget Sound blew in, and quickly slipped on her hoodie. She unlocked her bike and started riding home. She felt at ease, her long mousy hair streaming behind her, her slim, muscular frame methodically carrying her smoothly along the streets. The annoyance she felt towards her job faded as she left downtown behind her. Her brain began to churn rhythmically like the pedals of her bike, as she thought of the earlier conversation with her boss. "'Ruby, you need to have a more positive attitude towards customers'. What does she even mean by that? It's not like I tell them to piss off. I just make their damn coffee." she thought.

Ruby was nearly home, when there was a sudden screech of tires on the pavement. In an instant, she rolled over the hood of a car. She landed on the sidewalk with a painful thud. Luckily, she had been wearing her helmet and despite the dull ache from hitting the concrete, and the few scratches that stung painfully, she was alright. She stood up, glaring at the silver and black camaro. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shouted, standing up. The car suddenly moved forward, nearly running her over again. She backed up, as the car surged forward again. "Are you fucking crazy?!" she screamed. Two cars abruptly screeched down the road, a noticeably scratched aquamarine Aston Martin, and an orange armored vehicle. The armored vehicle crashed into the sports car, sending it flying into the street. Ruby felt her heart racing, as the armored vehicle stopped in front of her.  
"Get in." a voice from the car said. The back door swung open.  
"Hell no! I'm not getting kidnapped!"  
"You don't have a choice. We're all in danger." Ruby realized that the silver car was already recovering, its engine revving. Nervously, she got in the vehicle, as the door slammed shut and the car started speeding off. Ruby looked at the driver's seat, but was shocked to see that there was no one there, although the steering wheel and gas pedal were moving as if there was. Panicked, she started hyperventilating. She pulled out her phone, ready to call for help, but realized it had broken when she was hit. "This is how I die." she put her head in her shaking hands, trying not to cry.  
"It's not, I promise." the car tried to reassure her.  
"Why would I believe you?!"  
"Breakdown, there is nothing you can say right now to calm them down." A voice over some kind of radio said.  
"And besides, I'm not sure how much we can tell them. We should wait for the okay from Megatron."  
"Understood. Sorry, human." Ruby's mind was racing  
"Who the fuck is Megatron? Is that some kind of code name? What is going on?! Okay, I need to keep track of where we're going, maybe I could get back somehow." she focused her attention out the window, trying to keep track of the route as they sped down the street. "But why is this happening to me? I'm no one important. Is this some kind of gang thing? Have I pissed anyone off lately? My boss was right, I should've been nicer to people! When was the last time I called my mom?" As the car made a sharp turn, she suddenly realized that she had lost track of where they were going.

They drove in silence for what felt like hours, out onto the peninsula, and into, the signs indicated, Celestial National Park. It was now pitch black, as they veered off the road. This part of the drive was incredibly bumpy, throwing her across the backseat. The car muttered an apology, but Ruby barely noticed. They were driving straight towards a rocky cliff face, much to Ruby's horror. She braced herself for the crash, when she realized they had driven right through it. The two cars and Ruby were in some sort of giant futuristic looking building. Her brain tried to comprehend what looked like three huge robots waiting near the entrance. One was dark gray and white, much taller than the other two, with straight wings folded against its back. Another was red and white, with two swords connected to its wings. The third was blue and white, the only one lacking wings, but had wheels attached to the feet. "Knockout, Breakdown, you had better have an explanation. Soundwave has informed me you were the subject of a human news report." the gray robot reprimanded, glowing eyes narrowed.  
"I'll need you to get out so I can transform." the car said to her, the door opening. Anxiously, Ruby stepped out, her legs wobbly, as she watched the car she rode in and the Aston Martin also turn into robots.  
"Soundwave…" the gray robot, who Ruby assumed to be their leader, turned to the blue and white one. "Did the news report say anything about an abducted human?"  
"No, thankfully." The one called Soundwave responded with a surprisingly masculine voice, despite the small, hourglass frame.  
"You abducted a human?!" the red and white one screeched. "Of all the reckless things! Why would you abduct a human?!" he began to pace back and forth, his triangular wings held high and tight.  
"Megatron, Starscream, I can explain." the Aston Martin began. "We followed Bumblebee for a while, but lost him in the human city. When we located him again, he had crashed into this human, and tried to kill them. We couldn't just let them die."  
"How much did you tell them?" Megatron asked.  
"We weren't sure how much we could say, so we didn't say anything." Breakdown clarified.  
"What are we supposed to do with it?" Starscream asked, calming down slightly. "We can't trust it to keep its mouth shut, humans are highly conversational creatures."  
"Hey! I'm not an it, I'm a she!" she protested. "And I have a name, it's Ruby!" she flinched as the Decepticons turned their attention back to her, looming over her. At this, Ruby froze, and suddenly crumpled to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as the adrenaline wore off.

The reaction from this creature was surprising and unknown to the Cybertronians. "We broke her." Breakdown realized sadly. "With all we've put her through, the least we can do is give her answers."  
"Absolutely not." Starscream insisted. "We can't let the humans learn of our existence."  
"It's too late for that." Soundwave pointed out. "What would we even do? Mnemosurgery?"  
"No." Knockout spoke up. "We're not doing that."  
"We will allow her a moment to collect herself, and then we will answer her questions." Megatron decided. Ruby, meanwhile, was trying to calm herself, wiping her eyes and taking several deep breaths. Finally, she managed to stand up. "Are you alright?" Megatron asked.  
"I...guess?" Ruby said tentatively. "I don't know anymore. I really don't know right now."  
"I am willing to answer your questions." Megatron restated.  
"Okay. How patient are you?" Ruby wondered.  
"Usually very, depending on the situation."  
"Good. Because I have a lot of questions." Ruby admitted sheepishly, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what to ask first. "Where did you come from? And who made you?"  
"Who made us?" Starscream repeated, seeming slightly offended. "We could ask you the same question."  
"Most cybernetic beings are manufactured by organics." Megatron reminded Starscream. He turned back to Ruby. "We are Cybertronians, a sentient cybernetic race hailing from the planet of Cybertron. As far as we know, we were created by no one."  
"So you're aliens...wow. Okay, this changes everything I thought I knew." Ruby said. "Why are you here?"  
"Our ship crashed. We are engaged in a civil war that has unfortunately spread far beyond our planet. We are Decepticons, one of the two factions in this war, the other being the Autobots."  
"That car that tried to kill you was an Autobot scout, called Bumblebee." Breakdown elaborated.  
"Why did it try to kill me anyway?"  
"Bumblebee doesn't often have a reason for killing. It was likely he saw you as an easy target." Megatron sighed.  
"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight. You're a faction of robots, fighting another faction of evil, homicidal robots, and you accidentally ended up here in Washington?"  
"Very simplified, but yes."

The questioning continued for some time before Starscream interrupted, "Now that we've given so much information about Cybertronians, what are we supposed to do with her? How do we ensure she won't tell any other humans?"  
"Even if I did, who would believe me? I don't have any proof." Ruby pointed out.  
"We can't afford to take risks." Starscream said.  
"She will be placed under our protection for the time being." Megatron decided.  
"Hold on. I appreciate the gesture, but I have a life. People would notice if I went missing...eventually. And I'm sad to say my boss would probably be the first one." Ruby admitted.  
"You will not be taken away from your life." the Decepticon leader promised. "You will be in contact with us, and be given access to this ship, the Nemesis. The only thing I ask of you is to promise not to share any information we give you."  
"I promise." Ruby nodded, afraid of defying him. “I don’t even know what to think anymore.”  
"I can help her adjust." Soundwave offered. Megatron nodded.

"Again, my name is Soundwave. So, what can you tell me about human music?" he asked, leading her to the communications room.  
"Why do you want to know about human music?"  
"I just wanted to know if you had any recommendations. I'm actually listening to some right now." Ruby looked at him, confused. "In my head. Are humans not able to do that?"  
"Not without headphones, no." Ruby said. "I wish I could though. Oh, yeah, and about the music thing, I have kind of a retro taste, but I'd recommend Pink Floyd first." Ruby said.  
"Okay, anything else?"  
"David Bowie is also good. Oh, and Queen. Tears for Fears and Iron Maiden have some good stuff, and the Flaming Lips. Hold on, I have an entire list on my phone." Ruby reached into her hoodie pocket. She looked at her cracked screen. "Oh, right. My phone broke when I got hit." she sighed.  
"Let me take a look at it." Soundwave offered. As Ruby handed him the small device, Soundwave looked it over. "It seems like an easy fix. Is this your main communication device?"  
“You could call it that.”  
“I could actually improve this if you would like.”  
"That'd be awesome. Thanks a lot."

As Soundwave got to work, Ruby sat down on the edge of the desk, watching quietly. His desk had access for someone of her size, interestingly enough. There was a lot she wanted to ask him, but she wasn’t sure where to start. "So, what do you do around here?" Ruby asked.  
"I’m Third in Command, as well as Chief of Communications." Soundwave nodded.  
"That sounds like a lot of work."  
"Truth be told, when it comes to being Third in Command, usually that just means I'm doing what Starscream isn't able to do on his own. I usually focus more on communications. It's been quiet ever since we woke up here, though." Soundwave sighed.  
"So, I just need to clarify, what happens if you...lose?" Ruby asked.  
"It won't be pleasant. The Autobots will destroy this planet, inhabitants included, and bleed this planet dry of energy. Maybe they'll turn it into a colony, if they want." he answered grimly.  
"The end of the world might be coming, and I'm the only person who knows?" Ruby started tugging on her hair out of nervousness. "Oh God, I'm only eighteen. I...I've hardly lived. I'll never get to do everything I want. And my family, my friends, they don't know and I promised not to say anything." Tears started to well up in her eyes as she buried her face in her hands.  
"Hey, I promise that no matter what happens, we'll protect you. You're an ally." Soundwave tried to reassure her. "Besides, it's not guaranteed that the Autobots will win." Ruby looked back up at him.  
"But Megatron said-"  
"Look, I don't say this lightly, but Megatron’s a bit grim. Most of us have hope.” he spoke kindly, “I promise you, we'll do our best to stop the Autobots.” Ruby calmed slightly.

“Soundwave, we just got back, everyone’s going crazy about something that happened.” a voice said. Both Soundwave and Ruby turned to look at four significantly smaller robots that were entering. The one in front, most likely the inquirer, was red and white, with a visor similar to Soundwave’s, but no face mask. He was the size of an average man, standing just a little more than Ruby’s height. The four of them froze as they saw Ruby.  
“What is a human doing on the Nemesis?” asked a purple and black robot, identical to the first.  
“This is Ruby. Due to an encounter with the Autobots, she’s being placed under our protection.” Soundwave explained. “Ruby, this is Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage and Laserbeak. They’re minicons, that work with me.” he gestured to the identical robots, as well as a white cat-like robot, and what looked like a blue robotic bird.  
“I didn’t know robots kept pets.” Ruby said.  
“Pets?!” Ravage sneered, tail lashing. Laserbeak glared in response. “We are not pets, we are fully sentient Cybertronians.”  
“I’m sorry.” Ruby was taken aback.  
“I retract my judgement. It’s logical that you’d assume we’re pets. I’m sorry I overreacted.” Ravage apologized. Rumble and Frenzy, meanwhile, were laughing.  
“Pets! I can’t believe it!” Rumble shouted. “Humans assume everything, don’t they?”  
“Oh shut up! Around here, cats don’t talk.” Ruby retorted.  
“Alright, alright, we don’t have to fight about this.” Soundwave interjected. “Anyway, Ruby, I managed to fix your phone. And improve it. It’s a lot more durable now, and in case of emergency, you can contact me.” he held out the small device to her.  
“Thanks, it means a lot.” Ruby smiled.  
“It’s no problem.”  
“Holy shit! she said suddenly, It’s getting late. I have to get back to Seattle.” looking at her phone. “Wait, how am I going to get back? It’s like, a four hour drive.”  
“I can have Breakdown take you back. Just go to the medbay and ask him.”  
“Where’s the medbay?”  
“Right, you’re still new to this ship. I’ll show you.” Soundwave offered.

Soundwave led her down the hallways, while Ruby struggled to keep up with his long strides. “Could you slow down a little?” she asked.  
“Sorry.” he slowed his pace. The two of them entered the medbay, where Knockout and Breakdown were discussing something. “Hey, Breakdown, I don’t mean to cut in, but do you think that you could take Ruby back to Seattle?” Soundwave asked. Breakdown turned to face him.  
“Sure.” Breakdown turned to the aquamarine robot. “Knockout, I’ll be back in a bit.”  
“Alright. Love you.” Knockout smiled.  
“Love you too.” Breakdown said.  
“See you around, Ruby.” Soundwave called as the two left.

“So, are you and Knockout in a relationship?” Ruby asked as she stepped into Breakdown’s vehicle mode.  
“Yes. We’re conjunxed.” Breakdown answered.  
“What’s that?”  
“Life partners. Humans call them ‘spouses’, I think.”  
“Yeah, that’s one word for it.” Ruby nodded. “So, you’re a doctor?”  
“No, just a nurse. I used to be a soldier.”  
“Why’d you stop?”  
“That’s not a story I want to get into.” Breakdown answered somberly.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” Ruby was immediately flustered. “Dammit, I never know when to shut up.”  
“I’m not offended.” Breakdown reassured her. “Just be warned...a lot of us have been through a lot. We all have our stories we aren’t willing to share.”  
“Right, the whole war thing.” Ruby distracted herself by looking at the dark, blurry scenery outside the window. A question crossed her mind suddenly. “How do you guys transform anyway?”  
“It’s just something our species can do. There’s an internal mechanism, called a transformation cog. It lets mechs scan and take an alternate form. There’s also mass shifting, mech with multiple alts, monoformers and a whole bunch of other complicated things, but that’s the basics.”  
“Weird. This whole night has seemed kinda like something out of Rogue Xenomech.”  
“Rogue Xenomech?” Breakdown repeated.  
“TV series. It’s about giant interstellar robots. It’s actually really good. I might as well finish the series, if the world might end soon.” Ruby muttered. Breakdown had no response for her.

Meanwhile, the Decepticons were discussing what had occurred. “I just don’t know. Getting a human involved in this...we risk putting her in great danger.” Starscream was saying.  
“I think it’s more you’re uncomfortable around organics.” Soundwave muttered.  
“It’s not that. Organics are just...odd.” Starscream looked highly uncomfortable.  
“We have few options. Besides, she can be useful.” Megatron pointed out. “She has knowledge of this planet we lack.” Starscream didn’t seem entirely convinced, but dipped his head.

Ruby awoke the next morning in her apartment to a blaring alarm on her phone. She groaned, reluctantly sitting up and turning it off. She noticed the scratches on her arms from where she had hit the pavement. “Did all of that happen? For real?” she wondered. She could still vividly remember what happened, but it seemed impossible. Realizing there was one way to find out for certain, she checked her contact list. She found a new contact, named ‘Soundwave’. “It’s real. It’s all real.” she said to her empty apartment. She would have to pretend all was normal. Setting her phone down, she got herself ready for another day of work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Rogue Xenomech' is a reference to Rogue Seeker by Quill18, another transformers original continuity that is very much worth a look at. It's a bit on the heavy side, but is also very interesting.


End file.
